Former Minnesota Twins Slugger is Going Back on the Open Market

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Jul 8, 2024
Miguel Sano, Minnesota Twins
Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Twins don’t have a significant amount of space in their lineup for a bat. If they want to re-up with a familiar name, it will fit their spending power in 2024. Thanks to the Los Angeles Angels, Miguel Sano is about to be back on the open market.

Miguel Sano is back on the market, but Minnesota Twins won’t be a fit

After being out of affiliated baseball for the 2023 season, Miguel Sano resurfaced with the Los Angeles Angels in 2024. With Anthony Rendon consistently being unavailable for Ron Washington’s club, a level of depth made sense at third base. Sano factored in at the hot corner, first base, and the designated hitter positions.

After missing a month due to a knee injury, and then burning himself with a heating pad, Sano played in just seven games after being activated from the IL, before the Angels sent him packing.

Across 28 games for Los Angeles, Sano slashed just .205/.295/.313 with a pair of home runs. His 71 OPS+ wasn’t the worst for the Angels, but with Rendon returning from the injured list the franchise decided there was no room and Sano is unlikely to accept a minor league assignment, meaning he will be a free agent later this week.

There is a very real possibility this could be the end of the MLB line for Sano. He is just 31 years old, and making only $875k this year. He’ll be available as a free agent for the major league minimum, should he pass through waivers (which he likely will), and there are players across the league that have provided less production.

However, Sano doesn’t have the greatest track record of praise as a teammate, and he’s certainly not going to be a consideration for the Twins (sorry to burst any bubbles). Former teammate Eddie Rosario, for example, was recalled by the Atlanta Braves Monday. Designated for assignment by Washington, he was once Atlanta’s NLCS MVP.

Related: Miguel Sano Pitched for the Angels Today and it Went Unrealistically Well

Sano has done well to show better physical preparedness this season, but his whiff rates remain a problem. The year away definitely didn’t help, and the game may have simply passed him by.

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